Song of the Day: Ladytron – White Elephant

Every Monday through Friday, we deliver a different song as part of our Song of the Day podcast subscription. This podcast features exclusive KEXP in-studio performances, unreleased tracks, and recordings from independent artists that our DJs think you should hear. During this special podcast week, we are featuring songs by bands performing during the 2011 Decibel Festival. Today’s selection is “White Elephant” by Ladytron from the 2011 album Gravity the Seducer on Nettwerk.

Ladytron has been putting out their own blend of music for over a decade, constantly pushing the limits, carving out new sonic and conceptual space, and refusing to follow any trends. Gravity The Seducer, the fifth album from the British four-piece, is vintage Ladytron — because, like each of the four preceding albums, it’s not quite like anything they’ve done before. In fact, the band has really seemed to connect with the new album and it sounds like based on their comments, it may actually be their favorite so far. The album was recorded in Kent (That’s in the UK) during the summer of 2010 with co-producer Barny Barnicott, who has also worked with the Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian and the Editors.

“The way we envisioned this album was way more abstract — we thought we had this more atmospheric record, and it is, but it developed into something more accessible than we originally thought, a pop record, just in a different shape.”

That sensibility is embodied by the featured first track (and lead single) “White Elephant,” a bouquet of keys, harpsichord and strings that features Marnie’s satiny vocals. “In a way, it’s the seed of the record,” Hunt says. “It exemplifies the album in terms of attitude and mood.” There is a dramatic theme that holds the album together — musically, lyrically and thematically. The album’s title comes from a track later in the album, “90 Degrees,” another of Gravity The Seducer’s tracks that Hunt claims was “about expanding our creative horizons.” In a lot of ways, this may be one of Ladytron’s shining moments, definitely an album that deserves to be listened to properly – with headphones.

Want to find out more about the band you didn’t already know? They’ve got a great website you can check up on here, where you’ll also find all the normal social media channels.

Ladytron will be performing this Thursday at Showbox at the Market as part of Decibel Festival’s “Sinthetic” showcase. They will also be LIVE ON KEXP on Thursday at 11:00AM, so tune in! For now, here’s the official video for today’s featured song: